Shelving



Aug. 14, 1934. F. M zlMME-RMAN 1,969,957

SHELVING Filed May 3, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N NW i r I NQ ,Q w Q w Nm mmv/ mb NE. um, 5 Nw mmv .AIT hm. su, i hm w IJ QQ. Awww mm .3 wm QQ Nmv Patented Aug. 14, 1934 x:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHELVING Frank Zimmerman, Aurora, Ill.

Application May 3, 1930, Serial No. 449,552 2 claims. `(ci. zii-714s) This invention relates to a system of shelving Fig. 10 shows the upright of Fig. 9 with its of a Variety adapted for general display and foot tenori in place. p storage use and especially for use where condi- Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 8. tions call for mobility ofvshelving and for ready A Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken as in Fig. adjustment thereof as to extent and capacity, 8, except that the shelving here shown has an 6,9 as for instance in chain stores and the like. inclined front rather than stepped. The main objects of the invention are to pro- Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail partly in vertical vide such a system of shelving adapted for insection to show the front frame-joints of the expensive manufacture, ready assemblage, and deviceof Fig. 12. K Y convenient knockdown for salvage, and which FigQli is a section at 14- 14 on Fig. 13. 65e; shall also be adapted for successive reassemblage Fig. 15 shows, in section, a simplified form of and use; to provide such a system adapted for mortis'edupright equivalent to those on the left substantially unitary organization for any desired side of Fig. 7. length; to provide for organizing and readily Fig. 16 is mainly a horizontal section on the 15 assembling the shelving elements in rigid and line 16-16 of Fig. 2, and shows a modified form 70.

substantial relation by directly interiitting the of 'shelf with a notch to receive the front upvarious component parts substantially free of right. accessory fastenings, such as hooks, nails, screws In the construction shown by Figures 1 to 6, or the like, except for securing certain top cr the Shelving system 1, as a whole, comprises a 20 nish members; to provide therefor a system of plurality of upright posts 2 disposed in 'a series 75, uprights, shelves, spacers and crossbars, etc., so 0f Pairs; Orio post behind the other, CI'OSSbaTS 3 formed and co-reiated as to enabie ready asarranged one above another on said posts, a plu- Semmage, through unskilled labor, by dropping rality of regular shelves 4 resting on part of said successive members into place in interlocking re- CIOSSbal'S, and 2' OD 01 COVBI Shelf 5 resting 0h lation; and to provide such a system of shelving the'topmost bars and 0n the upper ends of the 80,

adapted to be made by simple milling processes uprghtsfrom Wood. Each upright orpost 2 comprises a full length This invention is illustrated by the accompany bar 6 in combination with a foot spacer member ing drawings in which: 7 fastened permanently to its lower end asby 30. Figure 1 is a perspective View of a systemr of means of glue nails 01' the like a' Vertical Se 85.

knockdown shelving, adapted for indefinite horines of' regular' Interchangeable shelf Spajcers 8 zontal extent, the left end being broken away. and a' top Spacer '9 detapably 'Secured m any Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. convemelll manner'asfof Instance by means 0f Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view with a Screw l parts broken away appropriately to show various Eagh ru.1ar Shell; 4 tompries a' planar body 90" joint construction features of the device. mem. er m com-ma1on W1 h a regula? card Fig 4 is a perspective View of an end of one molding 15, to receive interchangeable price labels 16, or the like, which molding is arranged of the cross bars used to tie the front and rear in 'Sections to t between theuprights 2. This uprights together and also support the shelves. m 01 ding is or may be substantially Such as shown 95 Fig. 5 1s a perspective view of one of the ver-l in my Patent Noklsooz. l f

tically slidable upright spacer blocks to be interl The Coverrshelf 5 comprises an extra Wide body posed between the shelves.

. member 17 1n combination with a special inclined Figli 6 1S a' Cross sectlon on the hne 6 6 of card molding 18 extending continuously from end to end of the shelving. This gives a neat 100 v fFig. 7 1s a horizontal section on the lme 77 and finished appearance to the Shelving and also o mg' 8 show mg a? modled form of Shelvng provides for carrying labels to designate goods equipment having a stepped upwardly receding resting On'the body part 17 form. h Each bar 6 is rectangular in cross section and -Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8 of is provided with .a groove 21 to accommodate 105 Fig. 7. interlocking engagement with the crossbars 3.

Fig S'a .Side View 0f 011 0f the fI'OIl 11p- For this purpose the groove is preferably of doverights in position ready for lowering to fit its tail shape. Each spacer 7, 8 and 9 is also recfoot tenon into thermortise in the top face of tangular in cross section and provided with a the next lower shelf member. y w y medial longitudinal tongue22 of dovetail shape 1li) to correspond with the groove 21 in bar 6. The resultant dovetail tongue and groove construction is so designed as to provide appreciable clearance to accommodate ready endwise assemblage by dropping the spacers in place from above, in the course of assembling the shelving system.

Each crossbar is formed With a dovetail tenon 23 on each end to slidably engage the groove 21 on the correspondingbar. Y .L @jf-rig" lg The spacingofthe-molding lsections on shelves 4 provides rectangular notches 25 on thefront edge of each shelf to snugly receive the bar 6 of the corresponding front posts 2 respectively.-

The molding 15 is preferably of appreciably greater vertical depth than the thickness of the shelves 4 and serves effectually to brace the shelving against endwise distortion or swaying.` If desired this bracing may be supplemented' by di'- agonal members, as for instance tension wires.

meet opposite one'- pair yof Vuprightsfv'vi-ll beaver-'- lapped by a section whichis'continuousvat that point along the length ofthe shelving. Whenever a shelving system such as herein described is to be assembled, the-workman 'ar- 30' ranges first one pair of uprights 2 and then 'another, with the bottom crossbars 3 in place, and then he applies the' bottom shelf member 4. He

then applies a set of spacers 8, then a set of cross bars 3, and on these he places the next shelf, and so on until the top spacers'are in place.` He then inserts the'locking screws 10 andnally sets the top crossbars in place and places the cover member thereon. 'If the shelving is'very, tall, or seems for any reason to need'supplementalvv support to prevent tipping, fanyj desired or convenient fastening means may be'applied whereby it may be secured for instance "to 'an adjacent wall, as will be understood without further explanation.

If or whenever for any reason it isdeslired to dismantler the shelving, as for instance if it is to be put in storage or moved or set up ,in a different place, the reverse operation is followed., Whenever the shelvingr capacity needschange, the shelving may be either lengthened; or shortened by adding or removing longitudinalsections orv bays at one endorthe other. ,Y

In short, this ready-,set-up; and. knocflr--ydow-zn.`

shelving is adapted for use and reuse successively from time to time, orindifi'erent places, according to local. needs and current shelving require? ments, and`for various kinds of .articles or merchandise.

preferably notched on'their rear edge, as at 37 to receive the back uprights andsoassure'properV spacing of the latter and also assist inthe bracing This notching feature may also Well be usedA` provide for extra tallshelving consistent lwithV self-contained stability, this object'here' being at'- tained by utilizing a stepped construction. AMore in detail, the stepped shelvingfsystem 41L comprises a plurality of steps Yor stages, namely, a

f bottom stage 42, a middle stage43, anda top' by crossbars 51.

stage 44, diminishing in depth from back to front in the order enumerated.

Taken as a whole this embodiment comprises a mutually spaced series of back uprights 46 common to all three stages. These stages are mainly similar and differ appreciably only in dimensions. The bottom stage or section 42 comprises a series of mutually spaced uprights 47, the middle stagea similar series of uprights 48 and the top stage a series of uprights 49.

The front and back uprights of the bottom stage are connected in pairs at their lower end This stage includes shelves 52 separated by upright spacers 53. Crossbars 54 'are provided for the middle and top shelf of this stage, the bottom shelf resting on the deep floor bars 51 which are secured by screws 51. Upright partitions 55' are mounted interchangeably between the front and back spacers 53, the latter being longitudinally grooved therefor, as shown in Fig. 7.- Back closure panels 56 are also provided, asshown in Figs. 7 and 8, the back uprights 46 being laterally grooved longitudinally at 57 to accommodate interchangeable mounting of said panels. The members 46 though shown composite may be formed integrally as in Fig. 15 where the back upright 46 has lateral grooves 57' and a front mortise for the crossbar ends and spacers. Thev top shelf member 61 of the bottom stage projects forwardly somewhat and is provided with lz a card molding 15, as are the lower shelves 52.

The middle 'stage 43 comprises partitions 62, upright spacers 53, crossbars 63, shelves and back closurel panels 56 arranged substantially as in the bottom stage. The lower ends of the front uprights 48- are provided.- with semi-dovetail tenonsv 65 to iit in corresponding mortises 66 in the shelf 61. The mortises are large enough to admit the tenons freely and are so positioned that when the upright is pushed forward horizontally, it is eventually locked in place by the partition 62 and spacer extensions 53'.

vThe top shelf 67 of the middle stage also projects forward somewhat and is provided with anv inclined card molding 18. It is also formed with a mortise, substantially as in shelf 61, to receive the front post 49 of the top stage.

The said top stage includes crossbars 68, partition 69, uprights 53 and shelves 70. The top shelf 71 is provided on its front edge with an inclined card molding 18. y

This embodiment is assembled, one stage at a time, beginning at the bottom. The crossbars, spacers and shelves are dropped into place vin due order as the work progresses, as will be apparent. f

Referring to the further modification, shown l by Figures 12, 13 andv 14, stability is imparted to Itmay bev noted thatthe. shelf; boards 14 are.

a tall system of shelving by uniformly inclining its front side backwardly somewhat toward the top, instead of stepping the same as in Figure 8.

In this construction, the system of shelving 75 is of somewhat simpler design than that in Fig. 8 and comprises mainly a series of mutually spaced back uprights 77 and a corresponding series of inclined front uprights 78 in combination with the bottom crossbars 79 and a set of crossbars 80 ranging from long at the bottom to short at the top, together with corresponding shelves 82 ranging upwardly from wide to narrow, and appropriate front and rear spacers 84 and 85 to support the crossbars 80. This embodiment 75 may be made. either with or without partitions and back walls.

This embodiment may be assembled ilat on its back and then raised to its normal position. The back uprights are first set in place and then the crossbars, shelves and spacers are arranged. Finally the front bars are threaded into place endwise, from the foot toward the top.

Although this invention is variously illustrated, it is to be understood that some of the details set forth may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims. Although a true dovetail joint is considered preferable for general use, it is to be understood that this term as herein used is to be construed broadly to include any form of interlocking tongue and groove adapted for the purpose indicated.

I claim:

l. A system of knockdown shelving comprising a series of pairs of back and front uprights, crossbars connecting the uprights of each of said pairs, shelves resting on said crossbars of corresponding elevation respectively, vertical spacers interposed between said crossbars at their ends, partitions disposed connectively between corresponding back and front spacers, and back panels disposed connectively between adjacent back uprights and between adjacent shelves, said partitions and uprights being tongue and slot connected slidably to said spacers, said uprights being likewise connected to the crossbars in mutual tie relation and said back panels being tongue and groove connected slidably to the back uprights.

2. A system of shelving of stepped upwardly receding design including a vertical series of stages, each of less depth from back to front than the next inferior stage; said system comprising spaced back uprights extending from top to bottom; and each stage comprising a set of spaced front uprights, crossbars connecting same to said back uprights, shelves resting on said crossbars and front and back vertical spacers between crossbars to support the superior shelves, said uprights, crossbars and spacers having vertical tongue and slot engagement for assemblage and knockdown facility; and each front upright having tenon and mortise engagement with the next inferior stage and means to lock engagement thereof releasably.

FRANK M. ZIMMERMAN. 

